The University of Houston has launched the Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health, a university-wide initiative established through an anonymous $5 million gift.
The institute, known as IH3, operates under UH Health and brings together expertise across healthcare, social work, public policy, law, data science and other disciplines to develop practical approaches to housing and homelessness.
IH3 will work with housing providers, healthcare organizations, policymakers and community groups to identify service gaps, evaluate programs and translate university research into community-focused solutions.
The institute is led by Ben King, Clinical Associate Professor at the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine, who serves as founding director.
Its initial work will build on Houston’s existing response to homelessness.
Houston has reduced homelessness by more than 60% since 2012, although the 2026 Point-in-Time Count identified 3,321 people experiencing homelessness across Harris, Fort Bend and Montgomery counties, with more than one-third living without shelter.
The university is already working with the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County to support development of The Way Home’s next community plan and expects to provide continuing evaluation support.
IH3 will also examine connections among housing, physical healthcare, behavioral healthcare and long-term stability, seeking to improve coordination between systems that frequently operate independently.
While Houston will be the initial focus, the university believes tools and approaches developed through the institute could eventually be used by other communities across Texas and the U.S.
The $5 million gift will fund research capacity, faculty and staff recruitment, graduate students and data infrastructure. It will also create opportunities for students to work directly with researchers and community organizations.
KEY QUOTES:
“The institute was built by listening to our community partners who told us they need better ways to learn together, coordinate across systems and evaluate what works. IH3 was established in response to that need, bringing together University expertise and community knowledge to strengthen programs, better integrate data and help turn what we learn into impactful solutions.”
Ben King, Founding Director of the Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health
“Houston has shown what’s possible when housing providers, healthcare organizations, local government and nonprofits work together. We’ve learned how to strengthen many of the interventions that help people exit homelessness. Now, we’re exploring what comes next. The Institute for Housing, Homelessness and Health gives our community a dedicated research partner to evaluate new ideas, measure their impact and help The Way Home continue building on what works.”
Kelly Young, President and CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County
“Housing, healthcare and behavioral health services are all critical, but they can’t operate in isolation. People experiencing homelessness have unique needs and helping them requires those systems to work together. Building that coordination—and learning how to strengthen it—is where this institute can make a lasting difference.”
Dr. David Buck, Associate Dean for Community Health at the University of Houston and Founder of Healthcare for the Homeless-Houston
“Housing is one of the most powerful influences on health, making this institute a natural extension of the UH Health mission. By bringing together researchers across multiple colleges, along with clinicians and community partners, we’re helping communities build stronger systems that improve both health and opportunity.”
Jonathan McCullers, Vice President for Health Affairs at the University of Houston and Dean of the Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
“This institute represents the culmination of many conversations I’ve been fortunate to have throughout my career—with people experiencing homelessness, outreach workers, healthcare providers, researchers, nonprofit leaders and policymakers. They shaped this vision far more than I could have on my own. If we’re successful, it won’t be because the University has all the answers. It will be because we listened carefully, learned together and helped great people do their work even more effectively.”
Ben King, Founding Director of the Institute for Housing, Homelessness, and Health
“The best philanthropy begins by understanding where the need is greatest and investing where it can make a difference.”
Russell T. Dunlavy, Vice President for Advancement and Alumni at the University of Houston
